Marker for highways



June 9, 1936- F H. KORFF 2,043,414

MARKER FOR HIGHWAYS Filed July 20, 1954 INVENTOR Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to markers for highways, which markers are adapted to return rays of light emanating from the headlights of automobiles driven on the highway, and thereby warn the operators driving the same in the night-time of delineated traffic lanes in the highway.

One of the important features of the invention resides in the conjoint action of the light-colored marker strip or binder with the glass or other refracting grains or particles. By reason thereof, the driver of an automobile is not only accorded the benefit of the advantages of the light-colored marker strip in guiding him, but he also has the benefit of the light-colored grains, which add to the brilliance of the marker strip by reason of their refracting action. Furthermore, by reason of the outstanding efiect of the marker, a much narrower marker strip than that now used may be effectively laid, thereby making a great saving in the paint, binder or other materials entering into such marker.

A principal object of the invention is to contribute to the safety of night driving by motorists.

Another principal object is to provide a marker for automobile highways, which will reflect back the light rays emanating from the headlights of the automobile, upon such rays striking the marker.

Another object is to provide markers which may be cleaned by rain falls, and also by the tires of automobiles which impinge upon the same.

Another object is to provide means for the above purposes, which will be long-wearing as compared with the present means for marking highways, and at the same time inexpensive to provide and apply.

Other objects will be apparent from reading this specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of a highway, showing a marker longitudinally along the center thereof;

Figure 2 is a greatly exaggerated cross-section of a marker embodying my invention, in position on the highway, the thickness of the marker being slightly greater than a coat of paint, and the width being that of the usual highway marker; and

Figure 3 is a detail showing the action of a sphere used in my marker, upon a ray of light.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, in which similar characters refer to similar parts throughout, I0 is a highway having the marker II. This marker consists of a non-metallic binder I2, which may be a coating of metal oxide or other paint or other medium having binding properties, preferably white, and having embedded therein the lower portions of spherical glass grains or particles 13, preferably clear, but which may be colored, the binder forming at the same time a backing for the said spherical grains and a lock to hold the spherical grains in place. These spherical grains are preferably so small in diameter as to be indistinguishable by the naked eye, although the same are readily discernible under a magnifying glass.

In applying the marker to the highway, a coating of binder or paint is first spread in position, and the spherical grains are then dropped onto the surface so as to completely cover the same. 1 The spherical grains may be applied when the binder is in either a wet or tacky condition. In fact, the marking machine applying the binder may be immediately followed by a dispenser adapted to deliver and spread the spherical grains. I have found that the spherical grains imbed themselves into the binder sufficiently to be locked in place. Of course, if desired, pressure-means may also be used after the spherical grains have been dropped onto the binder to positively insure that the spherical grains will be locked in place.

In operation, automobile headlights in night driving, will cast their rays upon the highway, and the rays striking the spherical grains of my improved marker will be refracted to their source. Figure 3 illustrates this phenomenon. The ray illustrated is a direct ray from an automobile headlight. This ray enters the spherical grain l3 at l5, strikes the back portion of the spherical grain at I6, which refracts the ray so that it leaves the spherical grain at 11 substantially parallel to its entering path, and continues in the direction of its source.

A marker of the type described will give a superbrilliance to the driver of an automobile, by reason of the fact that the beams from the headlights of his car will shine into such marker and will be refracted toward their source; at the same time, the bounce forward of those beams, which would annoy an approaching driver, is blocked by the spherical grains or particles. One reason why spheres of microscopic size are more desirable than spheres of larger diameter is be cause the refracted rays leaving the spheres are closer to their correspondingly entering rays, and consequently a greater number of rays will travel and be compact between the source of light and the marker in a given space, resulting in more intense brilliance of the marker. Furthermore, the minuteness of the diameter of the spherical grains of the marker provides a substantially even surface which does not hold dirt and oil, but which may be readily cleaned with the rest of the highway by wind and rainfalls. The glass grains surfacing the marker also add to its wearing properties.

I have shown and described what I believe to be the best embodiment of my invention. However, I do not wish to be confined in patent protection to the embodiment illustrated, but what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A marking strip for highways consisting of a painted band of light colored non-metallic binding material applied to the surface of a highway, said band of binding material having glass spherical particles in the surface thereof, said particles being of such minute diameter that they are substantially entirely embedded in the surface of the binder strip, sufiicient of the upper surface of said particles being exposed to permit of refracting action of light rays.

2. A marking strip for highways consisting of a painted band of white non-metallic binding material applied to the surface of a highway, said band of binding material having glass spherical particles inthe surface thereof, said particles being of such minute diameter that they are substantially entirely embedded in the surface of the binder strip, suflicient of the upper surface of said particles being exposed to permit of refracting action of light rays.

3. A marking strip for highways consisting of a painted band of non-metallic binding material applied to the surface of a highway, said band of binding material having glass spherical particles in the surface thereof, said particles being of such minute diameter that they are substantially entirely embedded in the surface of the binder strip, suflicient of the upper surface 01 said particles being exposed to permit of refracting action of light rays.

4. A marking strip for highways consisting of a painted band of non-metallic binding material applied to the surface of a highway, said band of binding material having light refracting spherical particles in the surface thereof, said particles being of such minute diameter that they are substantially entirely embedded in the surface of the binder strip, suflicient of the upper surface of said particles being exposed to permit of refracting action of light rays.

5. A marking strip for highways consisting of a painted band of non-metallic binding material applied to the surface of a highway and glass spherical particles in the surface of said band, said particles being of such diameter that they are substantially embedded in the surface of the binder strip while having sufficient of their upper light refracting surfaces exposed above said band to make the total thickness of the marking strip slightly greater than that of the painted band.

FRED H. KORFF. 

